Justina Gelgotaitė

BIOGRAPHY

She was born in 1981 into a family of musicians. She entered Vilnius M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts in 1988, where she began to play the oboe in 1991. Her first teacher was E. Paškevičius followed by L. Šalna. Still studying at school, J. Gelgotaitė won of the state competition of J. Pakalnis twice.

In 1999, J. Gelgotaitė graduated from M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts and entered the Lithuanian Academy of Music, the oboe class of associate professor R. Staškus. A great pedagogue and oboist R. Staškus succeeded in inspiring extraordinary love to the instrument in her. J. Gelgotaitė successfully acquired a BA degree in 2003 and an MA degree in 2005 at Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy.

                In 2004 and 2006, J. Gelgotaitė spent half-a-year internship periods at the Higher Conservatoire of Lyon (Conservatoire National Superior Musique et Danse de Lyon) with a well-known oboist professor J. L. Capezzali (assistent J. Guishard). While in Lyon, J. Gelgotaitė studied orchestral challenges, looked into the particularities of the French musical performance, collected material for her MA paper on oboe reed making (it is the first exhaustive paper of this topic in Lithuania) and the work with great professors has left an indelible impression for the rest of her life.

                J. Gelgotaitė took part in master classes of D. Valter (France), H. Jahren (Sweden), A. J. Utkin (Russia), P. Zamora (France) and many other professors.

                She constantly gives concerts in Lithuania, France, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Italy, Russia and other countries as a soloist and a member of various ensembles.

                She has played solo parts with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Panevėžys Chamber Orchestra and Lithuanian Music and Symphony Orchestra of the Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy.

                J.Gelgotaitė is often invited to co-operate with various Lithuanian orchestras and ensembles: St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, orchestras of the Vilnius Festival, the Bancheto Musicale ensemble, the Vilnius Quartet, the ensemble "Gaida".

                J. Gelgotaitė works full-time in the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra since 2000 where she successfully performs complicated oboe solo parts (Symphonies No. 4 and 5 by P. Tchaikovsky, Symphonies No. 5 and 8 by F. Schubert, Symphonies No. 5 and 9 by L. Beethoven, Symphony No. 2 by J. Sibelius, "The Bird of Fire" and "Pulicinella" by I. Stravinsky and many others).

                In 2005, J. Gelgotaitė became a member of St. Christopher Woodwind Quintet. She constantly gives concerts with the ensemble in various festivals in Lithuania, Russia, France, and Switzerland. In March, 2007, St. Christopher Woodwind Quintet won the first place and a special prize for the best performance of obligatory piece in an International Woodwind Quintet Competition of H. Tomasi Name in Marseilles (France).

                J. Gelgotaitė has recorded CD's and pieces for the Lithuanian Radio Funds with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra, St. Christopher Quintet as well as in co-operation with the Virgo Choir, Gediminas Gelgotas and NIKO Quartet.